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VOLUME 14 , ISSUE 4 ( October-December, 2021 ) > List of Articles

REVIEW ARTICLE

Silent Hypoxia

Dhivagar Subbarayan, Jasmine Farhana Mohamed Sheriff

Keywords : Apathetic hypoxia, Dyspnea, Silent hypoxia

Citation Information : Subbarayan D, Sheriff JF. Silent Hypoxia. 2021; 14 (4):86-87.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10084-13111

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 08-02-2022

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2021; The Author(s).


Abstract

COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 might be present with a wide range spectrum of symptoms from mild upper respiratory tract infection to severe pneumonia and may lead to death. COVID patients may experience severe hypoxia without consistent features of respiratory distress; this is also called silent/happy/apathetic hypoxia. The exact mechanism of happy hypoxia is unknown; however, different assumptions include that COVID-19 idiosyncratic effect may damage the respiratory control system and cause severe damage to the lungs, and may lead to the sudden collapse of the lungs with the evidence of sudden dropout of SpO2. Hence, it is a serious life-threatening condition that can need immediate medical attention.


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